Passing Closely
by its-like-a-story-of-love
Summary: A scene continuation in 3x21. What happened once Emma left the tavern with Hook? And what possessed her to say what she said?


**_A/N: Another moment of me "doing the thing" for my lovely podcast host, Sarah. On our Emma Swan appreciation ep, she requested this, and I was more than happy to oblige. Obviously, canon divergence._**

 ** _Also, if you haven't checked out the podcast, you really should ;)_**

 ** _All italicies dialogue is straight from episode 3x21_**

* * *

 _"Speaking of ships, what do you say we leave this place and I'll...show you mine."_

Emma may not have known this version of the captain, but that didn't mean she didn't know his intentions. Killian had warned her before she decided to go along with this charade about how he was during this particular time in his life, but Killian kept underestimating her ability to take care of herself. That was especially the case when it came to men like this Captain Hook.

As he made his way to stand up, Emma's hand pressed down on his leather-clad thigh, easing him back down to his seat. _"Wait...how about we have a few drinks first?"_ Emma offered the captain another tiny finger goblet of rum, and he tossed it back like it was water. She simply stared at him, thinking this was going to be just too easy.

The more shots of rum he imbibed, the more inebriated he became. Emma was definitely going to give Killian shit for his self-proclaimed tolerance for alcohol. She thought it was going to be take much more than he had currently consumed to get him as drunk as she wanted him. The drunker he was, the easier it was for her to pretend to drink, simply tossing the alcohol from them goblet over her shoulder as he drank.

" _If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get me drunk, which is usually my tactic,_ " he slurred.

 _"What's the matter, Captain? Can't hold your rum?_ " she teased.

Grasping the almost empty bottle of his liquor of choice, Hook said, " _Not only can I hold it, but I can carry it right out the door_." He moved his body across the table, his face mere inches from her; she could practically taste the alcohol on his breath. His thinly veiled innuendo still intact, he asked her, " _What do you say we set sail?_ "

Emma hoped she stalled Killian as long as she could in order for him to have his impromptu meeting with Snow, because she felt that her time was up. " _Come back with me for a nightcap...or shall I find someone else?_ " he asked. She knew she shouldn't—that she should stay here as long as possible—but even in this state, she had to admit that she found Hook extremely sexy. It was becoming quite apparent that Killian was her type as well...in all forms.

He stood there waiting for her answer, swaying slightly and raising that offending eyebrow, as if he was challenging her to say "no." If there was one thing Emma Swan never did, it was back down from a challenge. Even if this particular challenge happened to be wearing tight leather pants.

She looked right into his stormy blue eyes, smiled her best coquettish smile, and said, "Lead the way, Captain."

The corners of his mouth turned up into a devilish grin as he held out his hook for her to grab so that she could get out of her seat easier. Killian did say he was always a gentleman, even when tossing around double entendres. Hook took her left arm and cradled in his right elbow as he maneuvered their bodies around push out chairs and passed out bodies on the floor of the tavern. A bunch of his crew members were still gathered together playing dice and flirting with the barmaids.

He stopped their progress, turning over to them and shouted, "Oi, you mangy dogs! I'm having myself a night cap, and you know what that mean, don't you?" He turned to face the stunning blonde lass, and he swore he could get lost in the green of her eyes for the rest of his life. He had no idea why he felt that way; he hadn't truly looked at a woman since Milah, but this total stranger had him enthralled. He also loved the slight rosy blush that appeared across her cheeks. He loved knowing that he was the one causing her to react in such a way.

His crew nodded and smiled, cat-calling and whistling at their captain and his companion. "Enjoy the evening, lads! Next round's on me," he exclaimed, tossing the nearest bar wench enough gold coins to cover the next round of drinks. The delighted cheers of his crew faded into the distance as he and the beautiful siren on his arm made their way out of the tavern and into the night. Even in his drunken state, the salty sea air always put him in a delightful mood. Coupled with his current company, nothing could get him down.

"So where are you from, lass?" His speech was definitely still slurred, but he was too drunk to care.

"Far, far...far away," Emma joked.

"So I don't get your name, and you won't tell me where you are from. Why all the secrecy, love?"

She laughed, and he swore in that moment, he could listen to her laugh for rest of his life. "If I told you, then I would be worried that after tonight, you would want to find me again."

"What's the matter? You aren't some long-lost princess, are you?"

If only he knew how right he was, she thought. "If I was, I definitely wouldn't tell you"

"You are quite the mystery, lass." Killian tugged her arm enough to turn her body around to face him. Once again, they were face to face, the tips of their noses almost touching, and his chest hair was tickling the exposed flesh of her decolletage. He lowered his voice to raspy whisper. "And you, my dear, are just _aching_ to be solved."

The emphasis on that particular word suddenly had her aching somewhere else. Licking her lips then biting the moistened flesh, she answered back, "Please, you couldn't handle it," Emma said, lightly tugging on the collar of his leather duster. It felt like deja vu, her saying those words to him when he was in such close proximity to her. She didn't know what possessed her to say them again, but as she thought back to their kiss in Neverland, and how she egged him on: she wanted to see if he would respond similarly. Even though this Hook had no idea what occurred—because for him it hadn't happened yet—she still couldn't help herself.

Hook looked at her once again, his gaze piercing right through her as he said, "Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it." He even popped the "t" as he finished. Emma was too shocked by the fact that he actually said the phrase, and in the exact same way as he did in Neverland, to prevent Hook from kissing her. It was hard, fast, and ull of fire. Emma even had to grab ahold of his collar to steady herself from the passion behind this kiss. When they finally separated, both had to take a moment to catch their collective breaths, steadying their foreheads against one anothers. The fact that he shared the exact same kiss with the same man in two different eras wasn't lost on her.

"That was…" Hook whispered, barely audible over the sounds of people on the street telling them to get a room.

Emma knew what she said next during their encounter in Neverland, but she could not repeat that. Not to this Hook. And if it would have been Killian with her at that moment, she would have said this as well. "Only the beginning. Now, Captain, I believe you have a ship to show me?"

The cool swagger of the captain facade in place, he answered, "Aye, lass. She's right this way. Biggest ship in all the realms."

"You positive I wouldn't have seen bigger?"

He tossed his head back and laughed. "Doubtful, love. And no ship is made of sturdier wood, either," he winked.

"Then let's see how she performs."

(Later, after their antics in the Enchanted Forest were righted, and all stories went back to normal, Killian would admit that he dreamt of a beautiful blonde asking him he he could handle it over and over again. And when Emma said it to him Neverland, he immediately knew how he was going to respond to her.)


End file.
